Paint scraper

ABSTRACT

A hand implement for scraping loose or flaked dry paint from surfaces, such as house exteriors, preparatory to repainting. The tool comprises a rectangular block or backing studded with flat disc-like scraping elements which protrude from the block surface on shanks or stems. These elements may be large-head nails. The shanks provide space between them to clear the pieces of paint or other material scraped off, so that the tool is non-clogging. The elements are disposed in staggered rows with relatively wide spacing. The element heads provide a breaking and lifting action which effectively removes flakes and blisters of dry paint, but are free of any tendency to dig into the work surface.

United States Patent Honick Oct. 1, 1974 PAINT SCRAPER Primary ExaminerAl Lawrence Smith [76] Inventor: Cecil w. Honick, 4008 West Ave, Exammekl- Peters LOS Angeles Ca 90041 Attorney, Agent, or FtrmLawrence Flemmg PP NO-1437,798 A hand implement for scraping loose or flaked dry paint from surfaces, such as house exteriors, prepara- [52] CL 30/172 tory to repainting. The tool comprises a rectangular 51 Int. Cl iiisb 3/04 block of hacking Studded with hat disc-like Scraping 158 Field of Search 30/171 172 169' elements which protrude from the block Surface 15/2536 R shanks or stems. These elements may be large-head nails. The shanks provide space between them to clear [56] References Cited the pieces of paint or other material scraped off, so

that the tool is non-clogging. The elements are dis- UNITED STATES PATENTS posed in staggered rows with relatively wide spacing. 874,592 12/1907 Hogrhlre 15/236 R The element heads provide a breaking and lifting act tion which effectively removes flakes and blisters of dry paint, but are free of any tendency to dig into the work surface 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAINT SCRAPER BACKGROUND In house painting and related work, the removal of old dry flaked or blistered paint is difficult. Blow tor ches, wire brushes, or blade-type scrapers are widely used. Wire brushes tend to push the old paint down, as well as to wear it off. Flat-blade scrapers of the usual types tend to clog up, requiring frequent clearing with a wire brush or putty knife. A scraping tool is, hence. desirable which tears the flakes and blisters loose in a positive manner, and is non-clogging.

BRIEF SUMMARY The invention provides a plurality of round or polygonal disc-like scraping heads, disposed parallel to and spaced out from a base, backing, or holding block. They are secured to the block via stems or shank portions of reduced diameter. The scraping elements, each comprising a shank and a head portion, may take the form of large-head nails driven part-way into a wood block. The scraping heads work generally in the manner of scraper blades of about zero rake angle. Due, however, to their limited height in a direction perpendicular to the work, they break into paint blisters and dig under paint flakes. The exposed shank portions provide relatively open spaces to clear the material scraped off, so that the tool does not clog. The scraper head portions may be about /8 inch in diameter, spaced about inch above the surface of the backing. The spaces between adjacent head portions may be somewhat less than the head diameter, providing an open but overlapping" pattern.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the drawing: FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the working underside portion of a scraper according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view;

FIG. 3 is a partial side sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a detail of a modification.

FIG. 1 shows a complete implement according to the invention. It comprises a backing or holding block 1, a handle 4, and a plurality of scraping elements, each having a head portion 2 and-a shank portion 3. The tool is adapted to be held by the handle 4, which may be of any suitable construction, and wielded like a scrub brush. The scraping elements 2, 3 may take the form of galvanized roofing nails having heads about /8 inch in diameter.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view illustrating a preferred manner of spacing the elements 2, 3. 25 such elements are shown in alternate rows of 3 and 4; this represents a working model, but othernumbers and arrangements may be employed within the purview of the invention. The gap S between adjacent scraping heads 2 is preferably somewhat less than the head diameter D, so that the staggered rows provide scraping coverage across the full width of the holding block 1.

Dots 5, 6 in FIG. 2 indicate points on a surface to be scraped in relation to the nearest scraping head portion, 2a. It will be seen that when the scraper is moved to the right, in the direction of arrow 10, the point 6 will be encountered by the middle portion of head 2a, in a head-on manner, providing a pushing and lifting action. The point 5 will, however, encounter a portion of the periphery of head 20 which is at an angle to the direction of motion 10, and will thus meet with a shearing action. This latter shearing action is found particularly effective in breaking open heavy blisters of paint. Once they are broken open, they may be effectively cleared from the surface by head-on encounters with other of the heads 2. Several passes of the tool will provide both head-on and shearing encounters with the protuberances on the surface, thus effectively removing the loose paint.

FIG. 3 shows a portion of a scraping tool in crosssection. A portion of the surface to be scraped is indicated at 7, with a paint blister at 8 and a flake at 9. The scraper element 2b, moved to the right in the direction of arrow 11, will act to lift the flake 9 and to break into the blister 8, due to its small, limited thickness T. While a prior art flat blade, inclined at a positive rake angle, may be adapted to provide such lifting and breaking action, such a prior blade tends undesirably to dig into the surface being scraped. The element heads such as 2 of the present invention are free from any such tendency to dig.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional detail view of a modified form of the invention. Here, the scraper head 2' may i be generally in the shape of a truncated cone with its base facing outward, to provide improved strength. lts edge portion 22 is preferably squared or rounded off, similarly to the edge portions of the elements 2 in FIGS. 1 and 3.

FIG. 4 also shows a modified form of holding block or backing at 1. This block or backing may be of sheet metal, and the ends of the shank portions 3 welded to it, as indicated at 14.

Referring back to FIGS. 1-3, the height H of the heads 2 above the holding block or backing surface, may be graduated, so that H is somewhat greater in the middle portion of the tool than near the end portions. This convex or crowned shape is useful for scraping rough or irregular surfaces.

All the scraper head portions 2, 2' will work in any direction. They may be polygonal instead of circular, e.g., triangular, square, or hexagonal, and such polygons may be oriented differently for some heads than others.

I claim:

1. A scraping tool comprising:

a substantially flat backing having a handle affixed to one surface thereof,

a plurality of scraper elements fastened to the other surface thereof,

each said element comprising a scraping head portion having an edge and a substantially flat outer surface, and a shank portion, and means fastening each said shank portion to said backing to dispose each said outer surface substantially parallel to said backing and spaced therefrom,

the cross-sectional area of each said shank being substantially smaller than the area of each head portion,

whereby the space surrounding said shank portions provides clearance for material scraped off by said tool to render said tool non-clogging.

2. A tool as in claim 1 for scraping off protuberances of dry paint or the like, wherein the height of each said edge in a direction perpendicular to said surface is subshaped generally as truncated cones, the base portions of said cones constituting said flat outer surfaces.

7. A tool as in claim 1, wherein said elements are mounted on said backing in spaced staggered rows.

8. A tool as in claim 1, wherein said backing is a rectangular block and said scraper elements are nails driven part-way thereinto, the heads of said nails constituting said scraping head portions.

9. A tool as in claim 1, wherein said backing is of sheet metal and said shank portions are welded thereto. 

1. A scraping tool comprising: a substantially flat backing having a handle affixed to one surface thereof, a plurality of scraper elements fastened to the other surface thereof, each said element comprising a scraping head portion having an edge and a substantially flat outer surface, and a shank portion, and means fastening each said shank portion to said backing to dispose each said outer surface substantially parallel to said backing and spaced therefrom, the cross-sectional area of each said shank being substantially smaller than the area of each head portion, whereby the space surrounding said shank portions provides clearance for material scraped off by said tool to render said tool non-clogging.
 2. A tool as in claim 1 for scraping off protuberances of dry paint or the like, wherein the height of each said edge in a direction perpendicular to said surface is substantially no greater than the height of an average said protuberance.
 3. A tool as in claim 2, wherein each said edge extends around the whole perimeter of each said outer surface.
 4. A tool as in claim 3, wherein each said surface is polygonal.
 5. A tool as in claim 3, wherein each said surface is substantially circular, said head portions being disc-like.
 6. A tool as in claim 2, wherein said head portions are shaped generally as truncated cones, the base portions of said cones constituting said flat outer surfaces.
 7. A tool as in claim 1, wherein said elements are mounted on said backing in spaced staggered rows.
 8. A tool as in claim 1, wherein said backing is a rectangular block and said scraper elements are nails driven part-way thereinto, the heads of said nails constituting said scraping head portions.
 9. A tool as in claim 1, wherein said backing is of sheet metal and said shank portions are welded thereto. 